Plans For Inner City Drug Centre Halted

Plans For Inner City Drug Centre Halted

Plans for Ireland's first supervised drug-injecting centre have been thrown into doubt after the Dublin City Council deemed that planning permission was necessary.

The centre hoped to allow addicts to inject illegal drugs purchased elsewhere under the supervision of a health professional.

Speaking to The Times, Irish Edition, head of Merchants Quay Ireland Tony Geoghegan has said that he is deeply disappointed.

"Regardless of where it is located, people are going to object and I am so disappointed that we have had this set back at such a late stage?"

The centre was set to run as a pilot project for 18 months, resulting in planning permission not being necessary, however the Dublin Business Alliance (DBA) objected to the planned centre and asked the city council if it would be subject to planning permission.

The Temple Bar Company, the Restaurants Association of Ireland and the Licensed Vintners Association are all part of the DBA who oppose the centre.

Mr. Geoghegan believes that these businesses are being hypocritical as they also contribute to anti-social behaviour in the city.